Wyoming Swimming Opens Season With Cowboy Pentathlon

LARAMIE, Wyo, October 10. FRESHMAN Heidi Thorson and sophomore Gene Birks were crowned the 2003 Cowboy Swimming Pentathlon Champions as the teams saw their first exhibition action of the 2003 season. The Cowgirls competed last Saturday, Oct. 4 while the men took the pool this afternoon.

Thorson, a freshman from Gillette, Wyo., swam a combinedtime of 5:13.49 to win the women’s side of the meet. Freshmen Lauren Beard, from Mississanga, Ontario, placed second with a time of 5:26.03 and Erin Spadinger, a Midland, Tex. native, placed third with a combined time of 5:26.98.

On the mens side of the pentathlon, sophomore Gene Birks was the overall winner with a time of 4:26.12. Senior Galen Gough swam a time of 4:39.11 to place second. Junior Scott Usher clocked in with a time of 4:40.86 and place third.

Usher set a new Corbett Pool record in the 100 breaststroke with his time of 56.37. He betters his own record from last season.

“I am very pleased with the effort of both our teams,” said UW head coach Tom Johnson. “We were much faster today than we were at this time last season. I am excited about Scott’s pool record in the 100 breaststroke and also very pleased with the way Gene swam. On the women’s side, Heidi Thorson swam extremely well and I couldn’t be more excited about her potential.”

The Cowgirl Swimming and Diving team will compete in its first dual of the season tomorrow (October 11) at noon against the Rice Owls